The Limbo
by Grayling
Summary: Ginko, the main character from mushishi, finds himself in the 21 century thanks to a weeping angel. He meets some very strange people, like Red v.s. Blue guys, a soap opera obsessed Vampire, and some shinigami. He also meets a girl and falls in love, but has some trouble dealing with issues spanning the ages.
1. As the World Falls Down

I do not own Mushi-shi, Red V.s. Blue, Toshiro, Renji, or Spike.

Weeping Angels I do not own ether.

I will update as often as I can.

Welcome to the Limbo. This is the end of physics, if you like the rules that makes things make sense, step AWAY from the fanfic and run as fast as you can.

It began in the middle of winter. My journey has taken me across Nippon several times and to many of its surrounding islands.  
This wintery day was like most others, my feet were soaked in my boots and there was no shelter in sight. A cigarette was in my mouth, and I was sort of lonely. Just another day… Not that I was expecting to meet any one in the middle of nowhere, and I had gotten used to being lonely a long, long, time ago. Sure people liked me when they got to know me, but who on earth would, in their right un-muishied mind would want a white haired green eyed freak to even come to their village? I'd been to enough places to confirm this, they don't.  
I shook my head, trying to banish these thoughts, no use making myself miserable. Or in this case, more miserable then I was already. I noticed something odd at the base of a tree, and of course I went to investigate.  
It was a relatively harmless mushi that took residence in a rock and emitted heat, absolutely perfect for warming oneself up on a cold day. The only problem with this mushi was that if you where to move it, it would burst into flames, causing all the other mushi like it's self to catch fire as well. And they had a tendency to "travel" in packs.  
I took off my boots and my backpack and stood on the rock, leaning against the tree. After awhile, dosing off, I noticed something really annoying. My hair cut gets in the way of my eye. I mean, I've had this hair cut practically forever, and every time I stop walking I notice this. It's time I did something. I pulled out a comb and got to work. When I finished I finally could see. As an added bonus, I didn't reveal the gigantic hole on the other side of my face.  
After attacking my hair, I was warm, dry, and attracting mushi, because I had put out my cigarette prior to messing with my hair.  
I pulled on my boots, oh great, they are wet, and my backpack and started to walk. After awhile I came across an icy pond that seemed so familiar, along with the hill and remains of a house. I stared at the scene for awhile; it wasn't until the ice started to form on my face that I realized that I was crying. I didn't know why, but this place seemed like a place I was happy once, and terribly, terribly sad. I set down my backpack and crouched on the ground, and stared at the place, wiping the ice off of my face when it built up. Why couldn't I remember this place? This place that makes me cry so?  
After awhile, I got sick of crying and got up to go. As I turned to pick up my backpack, I got a face full of a statue that I'm positive was not there a second ago. I jumped back, I mean, it was less then a foot from me, and freaking disturbing. It was shaped like a person with wings in the weeping position; the irony was not lost on me. I turned around to get my pack; I had knocked it over in my haste to get away from the statue. As I turned something hit me, I turned back to the statue as the space around me bended and twisted, and I caught a glance of the statue pulling a face at me. Even the scenery dislikes me. Great. After this, I passed out.

When I awoke, there where two of me. The new me was super tall and unlike me, had clothes on, other then underwear and my night shirt. Also he was not tied up, like I was currently. And more handsome.

"Who or what are you?" I demanded "And where are my clothes?!" He looked at me and grinned. I'll admit it; that is a very pretty face. "I'm your clone, except I'm everything you wanted to be, attractive, cool, instantly loved and accepted, tall, swave, and not a-" "Don't even say it." I growled "I so do not need that today. And my clothes?" "I'm wearing them of course." He pulled out my pack of cigarettes and lit one. "You-me-whatever suck!" I snarled. He shrugged dramatically. "Whatever Ginko-boy, there will only be one of us come this time next week." I waited for him to continue "You're going to make me ask aren't you?" I said finally. He nodded attractively.

"Oh yes. Think of this as the question an answer part of our game. You HAD four questions, and now you have three. I'll answer honestly, my dear Ginky-poh, so ask wisely!" "I've never wanted to be that jerk like." "Comes with being cool, ask your questions." "Okay, where are we?" I said "In a building" Gunko said helpfully "In the U.S.A. to be exact."

U.S.A? What the heck was that? Not that important. Or not important enough to merit a question. "Very informative." I said dryly "What happens to the survivor of the week?" Gunko took a long drag from MY cigarette. "You know the mushi that is pure darkness? The Tokoyami?"

Seeing the blank look on my face made him smile, dang I'm handsome, even if I'm just a fraction of what he is, but he's handsomer by just a smidge, so I AM HANDSOME.

"I know- you don't understand Japanese anymore! How funny. For the sake of time lets call it, the Vashta Nerada. The Vashta Nerada loves people who look like us, you could say, we are like dessert to it. It's going to get one of us by the end of the week, and as you have been alive longer, as they say in baseball, you are up slugger! However, if I'm killed by a girl this week, I get to be dessert and you can live your merry life, with out becoming darkness. Hussah!"

I couldn't help it, what I said next. "Why on earth a girl?" Gunko looked at me and smirked "Well, you know, I'm a freaking impossible clone, who is an irresistible chick magnet, whose charisma draws even you in, the one person who SHOULD be immune to me. A girl is not ever going to kill me. I mean, guys can try, but they will never be able to." His only weakness was a pretty face. That sounded, overused. "Half the stuff you said doesn't even make sense. I get one more question." I said. Gunko sighed "Oh, fine, because I'm also benevolent."

LIER. "Okay then… Why are you taking my cigarettes when you know I'm a freaking mushi magnet?" "I have many reasons, one: Smoking is cool. Two: You are addicted to them, even though it is a special mix that is perfect for driving away mushi, you will suffer withdrawal which I will then laugh at. Three: This is the U.S.A, any mushi here are adapted to smoke and pollution, having these is like peeing in an ocean, and lastly: I'm a dick and I really hate you." "I thought you where supposed to be me but awesome! I don't hate myself nearly THAT much!"

Gunko rolled his eye at me "You remember mister statue right? Well that's something called a 'Weeping Angel' they are something like time mushi, but with more win. They usually send their pray back in time where they marry the first person they see. In this case we have undeniable proof the universe hates you. You got tossed into the future, thrown across the world, had some of your time wind back, meaning you are younger now, by about ten years, which was used to create me. I have all of your memories, when I'm using them you simply will not remember whatever. Then I spent the last three days gathering experience for myself." "Oh, that explains how~" "Shut up, I'm talking. I've created my personality off of what the basics you gave me, and now, I'm stealing your identity." "What?!"

I tried jumping up, which was less then successful, given I was tied up. "Why of course!" Gunko said "Why else would I have your crappy clothes?" "They are not crappy! They are stylish!" I said defensively. "Maybe in the 80's grampa. I'm out of here." As he pulled on MY gloves and MY trench coat he said to me "If you can get out, good luck finding clothes and food, Ginko-snack." He opened the door and right before he headed out he raised his right hand, and looked over the same shoulder, the light from out side silhouetted him, giving an unearthly look to him, glowing silver hair and faint green eye. I KNEW that worked. DANG IT I'M SEXY! "Bye." He smirked and left me to untie myself.

After much, MUCH latter, I latter learned it was a full day, until I managed to untie myself. Frick, this doesn't have to be this hard. As I went to the door I attempted to put my hand in my pants pocket. That's right, Gunko TOOK my pants. Flan-freaking-tastick. As I opened the door I was met with a lovely blast of cold air. This day was just getting better and better.

As I stepped gingerly outside into the snow, a cute little girl with gray hair looked at me. Fantastic, now I'm scarring a child for life. As I sighed the little girl shook off her cap of snow and to my surprise, started to fly. When she was at eye level with me she reached out a hand to my face, to the left side of my face. I shied away, getting a giggle for my trouble. "Hello Ginko!" The girl said "I'm Grayling. I've been looking for you!"

"Lo-Looking for me? Why?" I stuttered. "Well, it's hard to explain," She said "let's just say, someone noticed you where missing, from the past that is, and wanted you found. Follow me please!"

As she flitted away I noticed she had the ears and tail of a wolf. How odd. At that moment something flashed in my eye, and the white snow went black. Grayling was the same color though, but for her tail which went white at the tip. I stumbled and fell into the snow. Grayling zipped to me "Ginko, are you ok?" "I'm fine." I said a little to fast. I got up "I'm just a little shaken, that's all."

Truth be told, I was afraid, very afraid. I followed Graying to a place where she picked out black clothes for me. I accepted them gratefully, enjoying the feeling of being clothed.

"Okay Ginko!" Grayling said "Time to go find your clone, I know where he was a little while ago. But first, you need a cupcake." "A what?" "This." Grayling placed a something or other in my hands. "Ooo It's pretty." I said "But, what I really need is a cigarette." Grayling sighed and gave me one. "Do you need it lit?" She asked. When I nodded she snapped and a tiny flame appeared lighting the cigarette. I took a drag as Grayling grabbed the cupcake and flitted upwards. I threw up in the snow.

"What the heck was that?" I said as my nausea subsided. "A cigarette." Grayling said "Duh." She whipped my face off with something wet. "Open your mouth." I complied and she popped something in that was very weird but gone in a moment, leaving a taste of mint. "Here's the cupcake." She said and handed the cupcake to me again. "Why do I need a cupcake?" "Why not?" Grayling said "You have to give the first person you see a cupcake." "Why?" "Because if you don't she'll find out about the surprise party too soon. Just do it." "Okay, okay." I said. "Okay, Ginko-clone is some where in there." She pointed to a building that said "Limbo" on it. "I'll be seeing you in a bit." She said as she whizzed off. Okay… That was weird.

I went to the door and it said:

"Welcome, this is the end of physics, if you like the rules that make you stay on the ground and make things the same size on the inside as they appear outwardly, or makes things make sense, step AWAY from the door and run away."

Well I was told to go in, so in I went. "Clone…" I called, "Clone…" This place was so big. And black. "Has any one seen my clone?" Then I saw her. She was beautiful and had long pale platinum blonde hair. Her hair was really fluffy and she had something I could only describe as an antenna on top of her head. She had odd eyes, sorta purpley but I've never judged on eyes. That would be stupid. Like the stuff I seem to be saying to her right now.

"Here have a cupcake." I heard myself say "Really?!" She said "Thank you!" She was so pretty… To bad I'm going to die… "Are you ok?" "No I'm- going through withdrawals." I said, not wanting to alarm her. She pulled out a packet of cigarettes "Here you can have these." I jerked oddly and then I saw what they were. "-No thanks." I said "Those 'modern' ones make me sick." This continued for a while, and some how I was sent flying, then I wound up behind a gigantic cupcake. The label on the door didn't lie.

What followed where the two happiest days of my life. I couldn't tell you what I did but I was happy.

There where many people in the Limbo, and it was fascinating talking to them, and having them talk back, like I was a person, not some strange anomaly. It was wonderful.

That is, till the curtain opened and I saw that man. Seeing him reminded me of Gunko. I only had three days left to live. "Who are you!?" Chacha asked him "And where is your shirt?!" I said, trying to make light of the situation "And why do I look so good in leather pants?" He said "I'm Spike, I'm smexy, and it's a phase I'm going through."

Chacha turned away from the new guy "So anyway, new guy aside, how are you, Ginko?" "I'm dyeing." I said. Spike said ecstatically "Is this a SOAP OPRA?" Chacha snapped at the new guy "Shut up new guy!" I looked her "I have three days left to live" She looked back at me, and I noticed something odd, her eyes where green. I couldn't be sure if they where green at the same time, as I had to shift my eye to met both of hers. "But Ginko, I thought you loved me." I nearly lost it there. "I do. But not even my love for you can save me." "But Ginko..." Her eyes shone and she started to cry.

I didn't know what to do, and the answer came from the light red angel: "KISS HER!" I didn't even stop to think about it.

I stepped in close to her, my eye on hers. There was a split second where I could feel her breath and my breath mixing, our hearts beating to the same rhythm and then- It was like warmth and light was pouring through me from her. I wanted it to last forever. It did last forever. Then I felt ashamed of myself for stealing her light. What sort of slime am I?

As I slowly pulled away from her, lingering on her taste, but at the same time hating myself for every flutter of my heart, I was close to collapsing. "I didn't think you where going to kiss me." She said. "Nether did I." I said. "I didn't hate it." She said "in fact I REALLY liked it." "Really?" I said. I could feel the heat pound through me. I was afraid she would see right through me and so I covered my face with my hands. "Do you hate me?" She said "It's ok if you hate me." She sounded so sad "Lot's of people hate me." I removed my hands from my face. "I don't hate you- I -Its just you're my first kiss." She turned to me, looking cuter then ever. "You are my first too." She said. I couldn't help what I did next; I yelped like a kicked dog and tried to hide.

Who gave me the right to kiss her? Who gave me the right to take something like from her? "Well, I'm off to school." She said and left. As she went, I could feel the heat drain out of the room. She took it with her.

I found an article of clothing that was thick and warm and put it on. It had a hood on it, and drawstrings to control the hood. I wandered around the limbo.

I noticed Pup-chan whispering to herself, by they way, Pup-chan is Grayling, but really weird was normal here. As I went I saw Leatha and Chinomin walked past carrying something big. What the heck? There was weird and there was this. Donut, the guy who told me to kiss Chacha, was sitting with Spike.

"Complete!" Spike shouted waving a silver disk. "Yay!" Donut cheered. Not even going to comment.

It got even weirder when I saw Toshiro and Renji suspended from the ceiling. Not really surprising coming from these two, most of the time these guys where stuck in something. "Move along…" Renji said. I shrugged and moved on.

I came to a banner with the words "NEW Soap Opra! First Showing! Premier!" What do those word mean? I when to the door and opened it.

Nina, a girl with black hair, who also could turn into a seal, waved me over. "Over here Ginko!" She said. As I approached she grabbed my sleeve and dragged me to a place where every one in the limbo, except Chacha of course, was sitting. After I was forced into a seat, the wall flickered to black.

On it where two people, a girl who looked like Chacha, and a guy with my haircut. The man's hair was black however and his eye was on the left, so it couldn't have possibly have been me and Chacha.

"I'm sorry, my love," The man said "I'm dying within the hour." "But Fredric!" The girl sighed "Don't you love me?"

"I do." Fredric said "But not even all the love in the world can save me. Not even my love for you, which extends to the very stars themselves, can save me."

"Oh Fredric…" The girl sobbed. Fredric scooped her up and kissed her tenderly. As he did so, that wacky thing happened to my eye and I saw… Me. And Chacha. Kissing. Why on earth was my eye on the left? Why was my eye even on the wall? I suspected Spike and Donut.

As I hid myself in the hood, my suspicions where confirmed as I heard Donut and Spike congratulating themselves as every one else 'awwwwed' at the kiss. Well, it could be worse.

I just couldn't think how.

When Chacha came back from 'school' I hid, even if she DID love me, I didn't want to break her heart when I die. She left again after awhile and I knew my end was nearer.

During this time I wandered around the limbo, attempting to get food, but every time I touched something, the weird thing happened again, and the colors changed. Add this to withdraw, thanks to Gunko, it's no surprise that I ended giving up, when I started to stutter.

Usually when some one stutters they only stutter when they talk. This was not the case with me. My brain would a-actually stutter. This was quite p-painful as each stutter would almost make me lose my train of th-thought.

The next time Chacha came back from school, I was brooding in a big bed, on my belly. "I'm back from school~!" She called over the dark red's song "Killing Griff~ I want to live forever~ Forever~ Killing Griff~!" "H-hello!" I called despite my self. She came into the room I was in and sat down by me.

She was sitting on my right. I- I can't see what she's doing. What- What is she doing? Why is she moving like that? Is she going to hurt me? She wouldn't hurt me. Does she hate me? It just got really still. Is she still there? I turned my head to see her and got an eyeful of some really great legs. I turned my head back quickly. "So how are you Ginko?" Now that is a loaded question. Last time she asked that, we k-kissed after I told her I was dyeing.

"I-I'm fine." I was going to tell her I meant what I had said back then, but, then again, I had no right to love her. "I'm just g-gold, I mean cold." "Ah" She said. Movement. "Is that why you are in bed?" "Yeah." I said. "Have you been here all day?" Movement stops. "No, I tried getting food, but…" I thought about how every thing I touched changed color. "I don't think this place likes me." "Oh." She said. "Do you want me to get you something?" I nodded "Yeah. I'd like that." I said.

As she left I got out of the bed and attempted to find a better shirt then the one I was wearing, before I could, she was back with a slice of giant cupcake.

"It's strawberry chocolate." She said. Before I could make a move for the food, Chinomin, that is, Grayling's brother, and Leatha ran in. Leatha was chasing Chino, and I got hit and was sent flying. As I passed out, I saw something happen to Chacha's hair. Bl-black?

I was awoken by Chacha, and her hair WAS black. "Your hair is black!" I said sitting up violently. "Your eye is gone!" I was slightly taken aback. "Y-you didn't know?" I said pointing to my haircut "You thought this was a fashion statement?" Chino popped into his human form, which had a similar hair cut to me. "Is that an insult?!" He said. I glared at him "YES! This is a stupid look! If I had an eye there, I'd be blinding myself!" I snapped glaring at the wolf man. The edges of my vision started to darken. "Um, Ginko? What is wrong whit your eye?" Chacha said to me. "Huh?" I said glancing at her. That was odd, where was all her hair?

I raised my hand to my eye and faintly saw an outline of it. "Oh." I said.

13


	2. Makes No Sense At All

Donut is from Red V.s Blue, I do not own him

Ginko is from Mushi-Shi, Chacha owns him- Um, I mean I do not own him.

Gangnam Style is PSY's

* * *

The titles for the chapters (So far) are from "The World Falls Down" David Bowie's song.

That can't be good, my brain fuzzily told me. I slowly curled my fingers into a fist, still staring at it. The cloud over my eye seemed to pulse and swirl thicker and thicker. "I'm dying." I whispered.

What could it have possibly been, this thing, if not death in the dark? "But Ginko, you can't die!" Chacha exclaimed. I glared at my fist that was get fainter and fainter. "We've been over this." The words came out harsher then I meant them to.

I looked toward the sound of her breathing, which was thick and ragged by now. I couldn't see her. I couldn't see anything. Engulfed in perfect blackness I told her, "I love you." with my voice breaking and with hot thick tears, like warm ink, rolling down my face. I took a shuttering breath and continued "I'll love you forever.."

"Oh Ginko," She sobbed "I love you too." "Chachamaru…" I said, half begging her to let me leave and partly so I could say her name.

With a howl like a wounded animal Chacha grabbed my neck in a possessive embrace. "Don't leave me!" She wailed, breaking my heart.

I put my right hand on her shoulder, and my left moved up the other arm to find her face. I tried my best to look her in the eye, and when I was certain that I was at least looking at her face, I said as calmly as I could;

"Chacha, I used to believe the universe hated me but ever since I met you, I was certain. Why else can we come together just as I leave? " I was about to pull her off of me and leave when her hold on me tightened.

"I don't know." She said "I don't want you to go… You HAVE to stay here with me… I long to feel your warmth until the day I die! I want to caress your lips with mine forever. I NEED to be held in your embrace and told that you love me... Without you I'll fade away to nothing…"

With these words I felt her move, closer to me. It seemed to take forever, every beating of my heart lasted an eternity in the blackness, and still closer she came. Then I felt her breath on me.

Was she going to kiss me? My question was soon answered as I felt her lips on mine. Light was pouring through me once again.

I don't want to die. I want to stay here. With Chacha. I'm not going to leave. This beautiful, soft girl, so frail, so strong, I want to be with her forever.

That insufferable voice came to me "Stay then." Gunko said to me. "See if I care."

I blinked, coming back to where Chacha was. I could se her now. "I see you." I whispered softly. "Your eye is back to normal." Chacha whispered back.

I took her hands in mine and gazed at her. "Did you really mean what you said?" She asked. I took a lock of her hair in my hand. "Every word." I said "I'm glad" She said. Of course, like all things, our moment had to end "Ginko-kun, Will you be my boyfriend?"

First off, what does –kun mean? And more importantly "What's a boyfriend?" I said sort of to my self. "It's like… Well… It's kind of like being married…" She said.

Married? Like, what? Like married in the sense of a family? With kids? What? Part of my mind played out a fantasy, where I came home to Chacha and our child. The rest of my mind was on the fritz.

"NO!" Chacha's voice cut through my panicking mind "Not like that!... If a possibility were together for a long time, but not when started first!"

I sighed, at least I wasn't the only one who didn't make much sense when freaking out. "That sounds even worse." I said, blushing bright red. "I don't know how to explain…" Chacha said ashamed.

Somebody sniggered.

I quickly changed the subject to some random thing. I was ashamed I didn't understand this place at all. It's one thing when the people around you agree something's weird, but when they see things that you- No I mean, things that I'M afraid of, like the 'microwave' and the 'computer' and they know what they are and know how to use them, it makes me feel stupid.

And now, it seems there are other things, other than shiny new cook wear and tiny libraries, which I didn't know about.

They, meaning Donut and every one else in the Limbo, who were watching Chacha and I, where now singing a song.

"Op- Op- Op- Opum Gangnam Style" Donut said, his visor tinted black and had a suit over his pink armor. "Hey~ Sexy lady!" Leatha sang. "Op- Op- Op- Opum Gangnam Style!" Chino and Pup-chan sang.

As Chacha started to dance, Chino grabbed my shirt and started to haul me away. "Come with me." He said gruffly. "O… K?" I said dubiously. "Where are we going?" I asked. "We, are going to date bootcamp." Chino said as he led me outside the Limbo to a very, very sandy place

"This is the Sahara Desert." Chinomin said with some satisfaction as he closed the Limbo's door.

"Is that in the U.S.A?" I asked "No." Chinomin said "The U.S.A is on a completely different continent. But, you are not here to learn that." "What am I here to do then?" I muttered sarcastically.

Chino had me pinned too the wall in two seconds flat, his arm against my throat.

"I'm the one who is going to ask questions, and I'm the one to give the answers to those questions. Understood? Good. You are going to learn about dating, what it is, how to date, and what dating entails. You will have to do everything I say, or so help me; I will leave you stranded out here and tell Chacha you ran off with a taller woman. Am I understood?"

I nodded, thinking as how it could be possible that Gunko had learned from an angry Chino as well.

That would explain a lot.

Chino released me and I rubbed my neck as he pulled open the door from the other side.

Inside was a small cool room with a measly cot. "We're going to be living here for about a week." Chino informed me "At the end of this time, if you obey me, I'll get you tickets to a movie you and Chacha can go see. Now drop and give me fifty push ups."

I slowly lowered myself to the floor. "Too slow!" Chinomin snapped "You'll do push ups until I say stop!" "Merph smerdka kapalfa…" I choked through my teeth. Chinomin sat on my back as I lifted myself on the first pushup.

"Ophff!" I grunted as his weight drove me to the ground. He shoved his muzzle in my face. "No backtalk ether!" He growled.

Sprong! Went something in my mind. This wolf was absolutely nuts. More to the point, he was making me nuts.

As I did push ups, Chinomin lectured me on modern dating, what was usually done, what BF and GF stood for, and most importantly, what a boyfriend was expected to do.

"She might have described it like 'being married' but its not." Chinomin said "It's more like being engaged. You are trying NOT to screw it up. If you don't give her something daily, she'll start to think you don't love her. When you say 'I love you' with 'love you' she'll interpret it like you don't care. If you DARE try to kiss her with out her leading into it, by her stepping closer, that moony eyed look, biting her lips as she looks in your direction, fiddling with something, staring at you longingly, she'll think your after more than a kiss." "M-ha-o-r-e?" I wheezed.

His weight shifted as I assumed he nodded. "Yes. More like, intamaneanaiaphaslp- Ah screw it, sex." I collapsed, hitting my forehead quite hard on the floor. "You may stop doing pushups." Chino said as he jumped off my back.

I sat up, rubbing my forehead and my red face. "Let me guess Ginko, you're a virgin aren't you?" I glared at him "Am I supposed to answer that?" I snarked at him. "Yes." Chinomin said with dignity.

I rolled my eyes "Yeah I am." I said "It's not exactly like girls where throwing them- oh my gosh." What?" Chinomin asked alert. "Girls were totally trying to throw themselves at me." I said "But most of them were in some way affected by mushi. I was so involved with the mushi; I bet they thought I was gay by the time I left."

Chinomin sniggered at me and spread his left wing across his eye. "Hello," He said matching my tone exactly "I'm Ginko, do you have a mushi problem, hot girl? I'd so rather pay attention to that then you!"

"Oh shut up." I said "And any way, back when I was… Um… My age the first time, so about nineteen or twenty or so, depending how old I was when I lost my memory, when I started thinking about perhaps starting a family, I had to remember that I attracted mushi like crazy, so I would have ether leave my family, or drag them all across the country, with no certain place to stay for even one night! I- I- That is to say…"

I took a deep breath. "I would see these families, husbands and wives, children, people with some one to call 'Mother' 'Father' and even 'My child' 'Aunt' 'Uncle' and my favorite, 'Grandpa' and 'Grandma'. I never had that. I want… I want… I wanted that. I also saw families like the one I would HAVE to have. I saw the pain that an absent father caused. I saw the strain put on those who had to travel. I knew I could never ever inflict that on my loved ones. When I got older, more skilled to talking to people instead of mushi masters, there was a chance I could..." I turned bright red and coughed "Um woo someone…"

"Sure 'woo'…" Chinomin said. "I WAS YOUNG." I defended myself "I realized I couldn't do anything that would make it so… I would be responsible for… I wouldn't have a… I mean, I wouldn't be able to protect my family like a man should. I had no right to act in a way that would make a woman think I wanted…"

I shook my head. "I was about twenty one or twenty two when I decided I can't even give some one a kiss. Not that my kisses where in high demand back then…"

I rested my hands on the back of my neck, staring down at my knees. "It got better as I grew older. I learned to ignore people, it helped that they saw me as something less then a person, and that I'd already made the choice to keep my heart dead. Then I arrive here, one week to live unless a girl kills my clone, I really couldn't care as I'd never had a life anyway, I meet Chacha and… Despite everything I've done, I fall in love. And what's up with this obsession with the week? I mean you're going too keep me here for a week! Anyway, that week is up, I go blind, I'm sure I'm going to die, I confess my undying love, we kiss, and I'm alive."

"What was that about your clone?" Chinomin asked "He had to be killed by a girl." I said "Well, he was." "Oh." I said "That's nice."

We sat in silence for a bit. "SAY WHAT?!" I shouted. "Wow, slow. Chacha killed him." Chinomin said "He had a bazooka and she shot it at him. Then you showed up. Come on, they told you this."

"My gosh. I'm going to marry that girl." I said. "So she kills some one, and instead of fear, you want to marry her?" I nodded "Did you even talk to my clone?" I asked, he shook his head, "Well lets say I would have gone gay for him, but I'd also would have liked to chop his head off."

"That was sort of Chacha's reaction to. She gave him a hug and then shot him." "I love her." I said dreamily "And to think before she kissed me, I was going to find some way to die before I became darkness."

"You were going to commit suicide?" Chinomin asked in a husky voice. I nodded "Yeah, I guess that is what it would be." I was examining my hands, watching the water collecting on my eye distort my vision. "I guess I… Can't take being happy. I mean by age twenty nine or thirty; I was done feeling like I needed to be around people. I was done living. I had spent all of my life traveling, making people's lives better. Then I had to leave. I got to see them again, some times. See them grow up, get married, have children. Twenty years of traveling… All I had to show for it was a backpack full of memorabilia, and calluses on my feet. I wanted out…"

"Twenty years hauling around a backpack?" Chino interrupted "Um, well when I came here, my body got ten years knocked off of it, so more like ten." I said "Take off your shirt." Chino said. "Now!" "Ok ok!" I said and started to pull off my shirt. "So I take it you don't talk a lot." Chino said.

I got my elbow stuck in the shirt, so it got stuck over my head. "Are you being sarcastic?" I asked as I worked on getting the shirt off. "Not really, I just mean, you told me your life's story and I'm not exactly trying to be nice," "AH HA!" I had gotten the shirt off.

"BY KLARIC! Look at that body!" Chinomin exclaimed "You should really think about walking around without a shirt."

"Are you gay by any chance?" I asked, slightly embarrassed. "No." He said. "I know chino means gay in spanish, but my name is not pronounced 'cheeno' it's chin-o like… Your chin... Oh… But dude, you've got a body." "Um, duh?" I was very confused. "What I mean is hot body equal more kisses."

I looked away. "I don't want that." I said "If she wants me to kiss her I will. But I don't want to force her. I don't want to take advantage of her."

"Ah shoot." Chinomin seemed upset. "You're practically a Gary Stu aren't you?"

"A what now?" I asked pulling my shirt back on.

"It doesn't matter." Chinomin said "It's just any other guy confronted with a hot girl would be itching to get her to kiss them as much as they could."

"Other guys haven't been thrown into the far future, from a place where they've had to suppress their biological urges for over eighteen years, in a place where they only let me sleep indoors if I'd prove myself useful in some way. I'm pretty sure I'm not exactly what you would call, 'any other guy'." I said.

"Your right. You're just like any other manic depressive person. You've got issues." Chino said. "Go outside." I pulled myself up. "Get going." I sighed and opened the door.

It was night outside and starry. The moon was dark, so the stars blazed with a brilliance that I rarely had seen before in Japan.

"See the stars Ginko?" Chinomin asked me.

"Yes?" I said.

"There are billions and billions of them. Each one you see only is one point of light in the sky. No one would notice if one of them where to go out, right? Let's say, if one of those went out, another one went out, because it couldn't stand being just another point of light without that one blazing beside it. No one would miss two, now would they? Now, because those two went out, there was a star that didn't even get to shine, and because that star never shone, more stars died. After awhile what do you get?"

"An empty sky." I said "A black cold empty sky."

"Exactly." Chinomin said. "Now make a pile of sand, and get some sleep."

Must. Not. Argue. I laid down on the sandy ground, shocked how cold it was. I stared up at the sky, thinking of the story Chinomin told.

Did he mean me? Was I the star that he said would go out and cause the empty sky? I didn't want to go out... I didn't want to leave Chacha. I wanted… I fell asleep.


End file.
